Priorslee lions A V B the revenge match

Well after months of being reminded who won the first encounter between the two teams, the night was finally here to set the record straight. Gary had been piling the pressure on the A team with his cheeky little quips then , changing it to you should whitewash us.

Well the A team were split before a move was made when Glyn the captain had agreed a 4 board match again, with all other players wanting the B team to default on bottom board. Unlikely as it may be, we our in with an outside chance of the title and our for/against column isn't great and we also didn't want an upset like at the start of the season. But it was done another 4 board match.

Most of us were suffering from chess exhaustion so it was always going to be a tough match, especially for the ones playing against the fresh players that didn't take part in the weekend congress.

Adrian looking forward to playing Steve on board one, knew what he was in for a boring game, I was under early pressure as Munroe move ordered me into a line I don't like. Gary had opened up with f4 against Jim tut tut certainly not a player I would risk Birds opening against, board 4 Glyn was playing George he had stuffed him the day before in the last round of the congress.

Really didn't take long for the first result, mine! Not really in the mood for chess and having maybe over pushed pawns already it was outside influence that decided the game. A couple had entered the pub and let's just say they were rather rowdy and loud. Munroe moved his piece after about 10 minutes thinking slamming it down, the noise was already upsetting him, I myself must admit was struggling to concentrate offered the draw, Munroe really happy with his nights work couldn't accept quick enough.

On one Steve had sacraficed a bishop, I was sure it was one that wasn't winning but Adrian having looked up the opening had seen a line that resulted in repetition and a draw and felt it was this line, analysis said it wasn't quite this line but wasn't particularly pleasant. So took another rather quick draw on top board 1-1 .

By this time the noise was very loud they had been joined by a group of 10+ and they were sat right next to the chess area , not great and to be honest was delighted that it wasn't me still playing.

Gary's Birds opening was meeting it's match on 3 and he was really struggling, to make things worse George had lost meaning the match score was 2-1 to the A team and Gary would have to find a win to wreck our night.

It was never going to happen and Jim went on to absolutely destroy Gary and restore pride to the lions A team (no jokes with pride and lions please).

As the season becomes a real battle to avoid the drop, there appears to be clear divisions in the table appearing the top 2 Newport and Oswestry fighting it out for the crown, then a tightly packed bunch ourselves,Telepost,Shrewsbury, Ludlow all trying to string some results together to firmly cast a drift the bottom 2 Telford and Wellington.

Well after a terrible day I was in no mood for chess at all, this obviously was not going to help the team as Im rather an erratic player on my good days, was a slight plus was upon arrival at the venue it was clear that the pub had improved the lighting ,still enough for our opponents to pass comment but had they been there over Christmas they would have seen candle light was about the playing conditions..

Well having sat down to play Francis once more a total blank hit me when I opened e4 and he replied with d5 prior encounters had put me in trouble, I just thought Im not playing this tonight, so after blitzing the first few moves by move 5 I drew a smile from my opponent as I offered queen exchange I think he was half expecting me to offer the draw there and then but he played c6, but if there was any doubt I would be happy with a draw on the night it was ended when I took his queen off the board. Then in a world of my own for much of the game a mix of sloppy play and laziness had come over me , it suddenly dawned on me I could actually still lose this game. Thankfully I was actually woken from my slumber by the fact next to me Glyn and Danny were having abit of fun in their game , it gave me chance to have a quick look at how the boards looked , Adrian on one was not doing great but he knows that type posistion way better than me so hard to be sure if my thoughts were accurate, Glyn was facing a tidal wave of pieces coming at him but it always felt like Danny had gone over the top and would be exposed at some point , Steve was clearly winning and just a matter of time til he won and Gary the same. Well by some weird coincident Glyn said to Danny your sacrafing a pawn are you , I too had the same idea on my board which in hindsight may have not been the best idea but still playing odd I was able to set up a few traps and not manage to lose, Francis obviously very aware I was looking for a cheap trick was happy to play passively and the result of which was a draw, match wise a great result as by now both board 4 and 5 had won so assured us at least a point. The point in the bag attention turned to the remaining games Danny absolutely throwing everything at Glyn and walking a very fine line between collapsing and keeping pressure on, David on 1 was fully aware of the match situation and was continuing what by now was a certain drawn position against Adrian, he kept looking at Danny's game it just wasn't happening both players clocks were dwindling and no breakthroughs, eventually Davids resolved broke and he offered the draw and conceed the match. A big 2 points for us as we were the closest to the bottom 2. Danny knowing the game was up to gave up hope and although he had no mating net he had the posistion to set up a forced draw and thats exactly what he did (a shame really as he had played really well and Im sure he should have won at some point).